Condon expects clean cup

By Richard Bright

7:19PM BST 17 Sep 2001

PAUL CONDON declared yesterday that he was confident the World Cup due to be held in South Africa in 2003 would be "the best and cleanest there has been".

Lord Condon, in charge of investigating corruption in the game, told a press conference in Johannesburg, where South African cricket officials unveiled a security plan for the tournament, that his anti-corruption unit had cracked graft in cricket.

"I'm confident that at the moment we are on top of it. The words I've used around the world is that `match-fixing has been suppressed'," Condon said.

He added that a full report on the progress made would be submitted to an International Cricket Council executive board meeting in October.

Condon said preventive measures could include the circulation of a list of bookmakers known to be involved in unlawful betting, as well as tight security, including the limited use of cellular phones around players.

Andrew Flintoff, plagued in the past with back problems, faces a race against time to get fit for England's winter tour of Zimbabwe, which starts later this month.

The Lancashire all-rounder has been to see a specialist with a thumb injury and said: "Though there's no fracture it is definitely not right."

Lancashire, meanwhile, have appointed Mike Watkinson, the club's former captain, as their new cricket manager on a three-year contract.

Shaun Pollock, South Africa's captain and all-rounder, has confirmed he is close to agreeing terms to rejoin Warwickshire as their overseas player next season.

Richard Illingworth, the former Worcestershire and England left-arm spinner who has endured a miserable season with Derbyshire, has announced his retirement from first-class cricket with a year of his two-year contract still to run.

Derbyshire have reappointed the Tasmanian Michael Di Venuto, the only batsman to top 1,000 runs for the club this summer, as their overseas player for 2002.